The 1960s will forever be remembered for music. Whether considering the Woodstock festival in 1969 or the Flower Power revolutions or the birth of sexual and creative empowerment, the decade will last in history as one of the most impactful 10-year spans in American history.
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At the center of all that was the singers—from the poets like Bob Dylan to the belters like Janis Joplin, the decade was flush with vocal performers. To celebrate that fact, here below are six of the most iconic singers of the decade. Let’s dive in, shall we?
1. Bob Dylan
Not necessarily known for his singing talent as much as his recognizable sound, Bob Dylan was perhaps the most important songwriter and performer from the revolutionary 1960s. While he doesn’t have the range and tone that the others on this list have, he was just as effective in delivering a lyric. With a distinct nasally sound and an almost cartoonish delivery, Dylan, who released nine albums in the 1960s, has to be on any list featuring iconic singers of the decade.
2. Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix, like Dylan, was not necessarily known for his traditionally pleasant singing voice. Yet, it is as impactful and immediately perceptible as any on this list. Hendrix sings with a knowing growl, a thick, gruff tone that makes the listener feel cool and groovy and in the know. Hendrix, who released three albums in the 1960s, has style if anyone ever did and that style oozes out like molasses mixed with whiskey from his microphone.
3. Janis Joplin
If there ever was a voice so strong that it was about to break with every note, it was the voice that belonged to Janis Joplin. Like Hendrix, Joplin is a member of the tragic 27 Club. But beyond when she died, it’s how she lived that’s important. Especially how she did so in song. Her 1968 album, Cheap Thrills, includes all-timers like “Summertime” and “Piece of My Heart.” Those two songs alone would get you through living alone on a desert island.
4. Aretha Franklin
No one is above Aretha when it comes to singing prowess. Not in the 1960s or any other time. Some may hope to rival, but to date, Aretha is the Platonic Ideal of vocal power. Her timeless hits like “Respect” and “A Natural Woman” glide off her tongue but pack more power than Duracell. For Aretha, who released a whopping 15 albums in the 1960s, it’s as if her tonsils supercharge a lyric.
5. Roy Orbison
From 1960 to 1964, Roy Orbison released “Only the Lonely,” “Running Scared,” “Crying,” “In Dreams” and “Oh, Pretty Woman.” If those were movies, that would be Robert De Niro-level production. Orbison simply has one of the best singing voices ever. It’s as if God thought about what butter would sound like and plopped that ability into Orbison’s neck. The man who always wore black, including his trademark sunglasses, could capital-S Sing.
6. John Lennon + Paul McCartney
The Liverpool, England-born band finishes out our list with a tie at No. 6. Yes, Paul McCartney, with his orchestral melodies, and John Lennon, with his electrified shouts, made for a perfect songwriting duo and an undeniable singing pair. It was like the Beatles, who helped define the 1960s, were two great rock bands in one. And that was thanks in large part to the vocal talents its co-frontmen offered.
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